Photographic shutter.



No. 706,507. Patented Aug. 5, l92.

W. F. FULMER. PHOTOGRAPHIE SHUTTER.

(Application led May 9, 1902.) N o M o d e I 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

l A TTUHNEYS.

No. 706,507. Patented Aug. 5, |902 w. F. FoLMEn.

PHOTOGBAPHIC SHUTTEB.

(Application led May 9; 1902.)

(No Mode|.)` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

@gf A @Q9 5.

A TTOHNE YS,

W/ TNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

livILLrAM 1r. FOLMEE, on NEW YORK, N.Y.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTER.

SPIEGIFICA'llIIOlYf*forming part ofLetters Patent No. 706,507, dated August 5, 1902.

Original application filed February 17,

N0.106,621. '(No model.)

To all uwwt itin/ay concern. E y Be it known that I, WILLiAM F. FOLMER,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Photographic Shutter, of which the following is a full,` clear, and exact' description.

-My invention-relates to an improvement in photographic shutters, this application being a division of the application for Letters Patent for an improvement in photographic cameras filed by me February'17, 1902, Serial No. 94,475; andthe purpose of the invention is to provide an improvement upon the curtain-.shutters for which Letters Patent were granted to me November 5, 1901, No. 686,0-15, whereby through the especial arrangement of the shutter the exposure automatically 'diminishes as it reaches the sky-line, giving the foreground. greater exposure than the sky, and whereby the opening in the shutter regulating the extent of exposure may be quickly, conveniently, and accurately controlled from the exterior of the box,-and whereby a small exteriorly-located.tension device is provided for the shutter, together with means for accurately setting the exposure-opening in the shutter through vthe medium of a scale upon the focusing or ground glass.

The invention consists in the novel coni struction and combination of the several portion of the mechanism for regulating the opening in the shutter. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the shutter, illustrating more in detail the mechanism for regulating the openingin the shutter and the connection of said mechanism with that 5o for setting the shutter for time or for instantaneous exposure. Fig. 6 is an edge View of thc mechanism for setting the shutter for timel or for instantaneous exposure. Fig.A '7 is a vertical sectional View taken practically on the line 7 7 of Fig. @looking in direction of the arrow.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the trip device for the shutter, and Fig. 9 is a perspective View of aportion' of the shutter drawn upon a smaller scale and illustrating theapplication of a rear scale for setting the exposureopening to desired width or for verifying the width of the opening at any time.

A represents the frame for the shutter, which frame is open at' the front and at the back. A shaft l0 extends through from side to side of the upper portion of the frame A and through a roller B Within the frame. This shaft l0 is capable of end movement in said roller; but the roller is adapted to turn with, the shaft, being splined or otherwise attached thereto. Usually at the left-hand end of the shaft 10 a pinion 12 is secured, which meshes with the teeth of an indicatingwheel 13, mounted to turn uponv the corresponding side of the frame A and provided upon its outer face with a lug 14, which limits the movement of the wheel in either direction by coming in engagement with a pointer l5, secured to the frame, which pointer extends loosely over a portion of the Wheel 13 to a scale of numbers 16, produced thereonreading, for example, from a fraction of an inch to inches and fractions of the sameand suchscale when used in connection with the pointer 15 will indicate the width of the exposure-opening between the opposing edges of the shutter-curtains to' be hereinafter described. said eXposure-opening is brought about by the manipulation of the shaft 10, which at its upper right-hand end is provided with a milled knob or button 17, provided With a pin 1S, arranged'to enter a series of apertures 19 in the hub 20, forming. a part of a pinion 2l Within the casing A, as is shown in Fig. 5, which pinion 21 and its hub 2O are loosely mounted on the shaft lO, and said pinion is adapted to mesh with the gearing of a mechanism for determining whether the exposure shall be instantaneous-or time l, which mechanism 'will be also hereinat'ter described. f \Vhcn the shaft l0 is to bc turned to vary the The variation in the width of the TOO ' of the upper roller B,

-at such time upon the ythe pinion distributing-rollers width of the exposure-opening in the shutter, the width of the opening being read' on the scale on the wheel13, the shaft 10 is drawn out to the right, disengaging the shaftfrom the pinion 21, so that there will be no effect aforesaid timing mechanism, and after the exposure-opening has been` made as large or as small as desired the shaft 10 is rengaged with the pinion 21. The scale 16 is at one side ofthe lug 14 and reads preferably from time or full openingr near thelug to the smallest desired fractional portion of an inch. A second upper roller C of greater diameter than the roller B is journaled in the frame A a predetermined distance below the roller B, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the Aright-hand trunnion of the roller C carries a fixed pinion 22, which pinion and 21 at the right-hand end ofthe upper roller-shaft 10 mesh with a counecting gear 23, likewise within the casing A, as is shown in Figs. 2 and In connection with the upper rollers B and C corresponding spring-rollers B' and C' are employed, preferably of the same diameter as the upper roller B. The rollers B and C are carried by shafts 21 and 25, journaled in the bottom portion of the casing A one above the other. The upper roller B and thelower roller B' are respectively distributing and receiving rollers for the rear curtain D of the shutter, and the upper roller C is a receiving'roller and the lower roller C- a distributing-roller for the forward curtain D' of the shutter, which shutter consists of the two curtains D and D'. These curtains will be made of any suitable pliable opaque material and are in close relation to each other. The curtains are preferably directiy attached to the receiving-rollers in any suitable manner, and at the opposing edges of the curtains D and D binding-strips 26, of metal or other` stout material, are secured to hold the curtains transversely straight. The bound edges of the curtains D and D are attached 'to the by tapes 27, secured to the side edges of the curtain and to the end portions of the rollers. The spring of the lower. receiving-roller B' is placed under a uniform' tension sulicient to keep the at ytached outer or rear curtain D longitudinally taut, and this is accomplished by turning the shaft 24 of said roller until its spring is sufficiently wound and then screwing a nut 28 on the end of the shaft and securing the nut to a side of the frame or casing A by a pin 29 or the like, as is illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The two curtains, move together through the medium of the pinions 21 and 22 and connecting-gear 23, and in adjusting the curtains to increase or decrease the Width of the exposure-opening in the shutter the boundl edge of the rear curtain D is moved to or from the corresponding edge of the forward curtain D by the movement of the shaft 10 and the speed. at which the shutter shall move is regulated by a tension device 4applied to the shaft tributing-roller C' ofthe inner is shown in Figs. 1, 2,.and 3.

controlling the spring extends beyond the right-hand side of the casing or frame A, terminating ina knob 30, whereby the shaft may be turned, and a flange 31, which may be a portion of the knob,l whichv iang'e has a notch 32 therein and a tooth 33. The. notch is adapted to receive a springcontrolled pawll 34, pivoted to the frame or casing A tate moving the same, and the tooth 33 engages with the teeth of a toothed sector 36, formed upon the edgelof a disk-wheel 3,7, having a pointer 37, which pointer travels adjer cent to a scale 38 of numbers produced upon the outside of the frame or casing, as is best shown in Fig. 1. amount of tension to which the spring is subjected, and this scale may bem-ade to read from 1 to 20 or any desired numeral, the number of teeth carried by the wheel 37 being made to correspond to the numerals in the'scale, and the arrangement of the teeth is such and the spring of the roller-shaft C' is so tensione'd thiat in the adjustment of the wheel 37 the The shaft 25,

'shutter may be made to move at la speed ranging, for example7 from one-twentieth of a second to one fteenhundredth of a second.

6, as shown, or from .1 to y of -thediscurtain D', as lj of the said'roller C',

and having a small knob 35to facili- The scale 38 indicates the supposing the scaleontne indicator-wheel 13 to read, for eXample,;-`from one-eighth of an inch to five inches and the tension-scale 3.8 to

IOL

read from 1 to 20,7 twenty rates of speed may be obtained for each possiblediv-sion in the width of the shutter-opening. Means are provided whereby the exposure automatically diminishes atthe diminishing of the'opening in the shutter as it approaches the `line of the sky, giving and 7, in which figures it will be observed that a master gear-wheel 39 is located within the casing at its right-hand side,being secured to a short axle 40, mounted to turn freely in the casing. The axle 40 extends beyond the right-hand side of the casing and terminates at its outer end in a knob 41. y The peripheral teeth of the master-wheel teeth ofthe gear 23connecting the pinions 21 and 22 of the upper rollers ticularly shown in Fig. 2, and after the eXposure-openingn the shutter has been set to the desired width and also after an exposure the shutter is carried up to its set position and the set tension. is placed upon the lower roller C by'turning the master-wheel in one-direction,

the foreground greater exposure y ,than the shy. ThisI accomplishby increas- Ico 39 mesh lwith the B and C, as is parthus bringing about aconnected movement of the two upper rollers, as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The shutter is held inits set position by a spring-pawl 44, the shan k of which at its lower end is secured to the inside surface of the right-hand section of the frame A, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the head 44 of the pawl, which is at the free end of the shank, is normally in engagement with ratchet-teeth 42 upon the inner side surface of the masterwheel 39, adjacent to its periphery, as is also shown in Fig. 3. `The ratchet-teeth 42 permit the master-wheel being turned to wind up the shutter while the pawl is in engagement with the teeth, but the shutter cannot move to make an exposure until the'pawl is out of engagement with the said ratchet-teeth. The ratchet-teeth extend in a circle on the masterwheel, one closely following the other, except at one point 43, (shown in Fig. 6,) where a space or break occurs of a length corresponding to the length of one of the teeth. In fact, at such point 43 a ratchet-tooth is omitted. The pawl may be disengaged from the ratchet of the master-wheel pneumatically or by the pressure of a finger. This I accomplish through a device shown in Fig. 8, which con.- sists of acollar 45, secured to theframe A in any suitable manner over an opening therein,

which collar at its outer end is provided with an external thread 46 to receive the interiorlythreaded portion of a cap 47, having a knob 48 integral therewith to receive an end of a rubber `tube 49, at the opposite end' of which tube the usual pressure-bulb is located, as is shown in Fig. l. The knob 48 has an opening 5l therein extending through the inner I face of the cap. A piston-head 52 is mounted to slide in the collar 45, and a stem 53, attached to said head, is also secured to the shank ot the pawl 44, so that the pawl may be' pressed inward by the application of coinpressed air to the piston-head 52 or when the cap 47 is removed from the col-lar by pressing the piston-head inward by the finger.

With vreference to the detail mechanism for eontr'ollingthe gearing of the shutter to operate it for instantaneous or for time exposure a push-pin 54 is loosely mounted in the frame A below the master-wheel 39, as is shown particularlyin Fig. 6, the inner end of which pin has aswivel fonnection with the shank of the pawl. 44, and within the vframe or casing A an arm 55 is secured to the pressure-pin 54, extending beyond opposite sides of the same, adapted in one position, as is shown in positive lines in Fig. 7, to engage with the under sides of the stop-pins 56 and 57,' the pin 56 extending from the outer face of the master-wheel near its periphery, while the stop-pin 57 extends inward from the frame A below the push-pin 54. The pushpin 54 passes through a plate 5S, secured to v the outerright-hand side of me frame A,

which plate at one point has theletter T produced thereon or a character or symbol designating time, as is shown in Fig. l, and

a pointer 59 is secured to the push-piu 54 near the knob adapted to move over the face of the dial-plate 5S as the push-pin is turned. Vhen the pointer 59 is carried away fromthe letter T, for example, to the position shown in Fig. l, the arm 55 will occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7 out of the path of the stop-pin 5G on the master-wheel 39 and out of engagement with the stop-pin 57 on the frame, and the master-wheelwhen released from the pawl 44 is then free to turn sufficiently toeifect an instantaneous exposure. `W`nen the pointer '59 is carried to the letter T on the dial-plate 58, the arm 54 will be brought tothe position shownin positive lines in Figs. 6 and 7, being then in engagement at one end with the stop-pin 5701i the frame or casing, while the other end will be in the path of the stop-pin 56 on the master-wheel when the push-pin is forced inward or is drawn inward by the releasing mechanism for the pawl, so that when the pawl 44 is pushed inward yto make an exposure by releasing the master-wheel 39, Wheel 39 turns, it will stop when this pin 56 engages thev arm 55, at which time the opening in the shutter will be opposite' the center of the exposed plate. When the pawl 44 is relieved from pressure, its head will enter the space or break 43.in the ratchet-teeth. of the master-wheel, and as the push-pin 54 iscarried outward by the return action of the pawl the arm 55 is carried out of the path of the stop-pin 5G on the master-wheel 39, and as the master-wheel can then move the distance of one ratchet-tooth before the head of the pawl again engages a tooth the master-wheel will have turned snicieutly to carry its stoppin 56 below the path of thenpper end of the ar'ni 54, so that after suitable time has been given for the exposure the pawl can be again ICO IOD

pushed inward to release the master-wheel,

and the latter will turn without hindrance to close the shutter-. It will be observed that the shutter may be released by operating the push-pin 54 on the piston-head 52.

It is evident that in the operation of the shutter to make an exposure as the curtain moves downward the upper or forward curtain D travels at a slightly-greater speed than the lower or rear curtain, and thus the exposure automatically diminishes as it reaches the sky-line, giving the foreground all the necessary exposure and limiting the exposure at the sky.

In the event that after the exposure-opening in the shutter has been set to a given Width and any deviation should occur by reason of frequent and rapid operation of the shutter, such deviation may be detected and corrected by placing a scale Gl, in inches or fractions thereof, upon a support at the rear of the shutter and se that the scale can be read with respect to the curtains of the shutter. Usually this scale is produced upon a guide-post 60 for the tapes of the curtains of the shutter, as is shown in Fig. 9, one of tapes 27 for the "which posts is also shown in Fig. 1', and likewise the scale. These posts are at the inner side portionsof the frame, j ust in front of the curtain D', of any desired width, and the scale is made to read from above down'wardat the inner sides of the posts, as inrxing the width of the 4'" shutter-opening the shutter is rolled upward at theupper portion of the scale,

through the operation of the shaft the,

y until the 'bound edge of the upper curtain is t zero or other designation-mark on the scale and then lscale the ground or focusing glassiu the camera to which the shutter 'is applied is prefer.`

ably provided with a clear or transparent end section brought opposite the said scale 6l, so as to permit an accurate reading of the scale.

Having thus ldescribed my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-n l. In cameras, a curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains forming an exposure- .opening between adjacent ends, an upper set of plain rollers located one above the other, a lower set of tension-controlled rollers also located one above the other, one curtain being connected with the outer rollers of lthe two sets and the other curtain with the inner rollers of the sets, all ot the rollers having the same diameter with the exception of the lower 4roller of the upper set, which is of increased diameter, a winding mechanism for the upper rollers,- a tension-controlling device for one of the lower rollers, and a releasing de vice for the wound shutter, which releasing device is capable of being operated manually or pneumatically, as desired.

2. An adjustable curtain-shutter and its curtains, and a scale at the rear of the shutter for indicating the width of the exposureopening in the shutter, and supports for the said scale independent of the curtains of the shutter, for the purpose specified.

3. A curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains forming an exposure-opening between adjacent ends, a scale for indicating the width of the exposure-opening, and a support for the scale adjacent to the said curtains, crossing the said exposureopening and independent of the curtains, the scale being adjacent to the curtains and reading relatively thereto, as described.

' 4. In camera-shutters,

" for the shutter, consisting of a cylinder yopenl a removable cap for one end of the cylinder, provided with an apertured projection te receive a flexible tube, a pistonhead having sliding movement in the cylin-' der, a stem connected with the head, and a and said posts are'- a releasing device locking member for the shutter, connected with the said stem, as described.

5. In cameras, a curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains forming an exposure- ,opening between adjacent ends, an upper set of plain rollers located one above the other, a lower setof tension-controlled rollers 4also located one above the other, one curtainbe-4 ing connected with, the outer rollers of the two sets and the other curtain with the inner rollers of the sets, a train of gearing for winding the upper rollers, a masterJwheel in connection with said train oi gearing and provided with ratchet-teeth upon one face, a locking member for engagement with the ratchet-teeth of the master-wheel, and an exteriorly-operated releasing device for the lock;- ing member, as set forth.

6. In cameras, a curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains forming an'exposureopening between adjacent ends, an upper set ofplain rollers located o ne above the other,

a lower setof tension-controlling rollers also` located one above the other, one curtain being connected with the outer rollers of the two sets and the other curtain with the inner rollers of the sets, a train of gearing for winding the upper` rollers, a master-wheel in connectionwith said train of gearing and provided with ratchet-teeth upon one face, a spring locking member for engagement with .the ratchet-teeth of the master-wheel, a cyla removable cap for inder open at both ends, the said cylinder, provided with an apertured extension to receive the flexible tube, a piston-head mounted in the said cylinder, and a connection between the piston-head and the spring locking members, as described.l

7. In a curtain-shutter for cameras,a frame, a plurality of curtains within the frame, form- -ing an exposure-opening between adjacent ends, an upper set of plain rollers located in the said frame one above the other, a lower set of tension-rollers also located within the frame, one above the other, one curtain being connected with the outer rollers of the two sets and theother curtain with theinner rollers of the sets, a train of gearing for winding the upper rollers, a master-gear in connection with the said train of gearing and provided with ratchet-teeth 'on one face and a stop-pin extending from its opposite face, said ratchet-teeth being circularly arranged with a single break in the arrangement of thel teeth of a width substantially equal to the length of a ratchet-tooth, a spring locking member attached to the frame and having a head 'for engagement with the ratchet-teeth of the master-gear, a push-pin mounted in the frame andv connected with the said 'spring locking member, a stop-pin `extending from the frame below the said pin, an arm carried by the push-pin, adapted for engagement with the stop-pin on the master-gear and the stop-pin on the said pushpin, a dial at the outer part of the frame, and a pointer 'carried by the outer frame in one position of the I IIO portion of the push-pin and adapted to travel over the said dial, whereby 'to regulate the movement ol the shutter for time or ier instantaneous exposure.

8. in a camera, a curtain-shutter having a pluralit57 of curtains 'FormingA au exposureopeningr, and exteriorly-operated means substantially as described for regulating the sive of the cnposureopening, which means coinp'riee the shaft for the roller oi:l the curtain, 'the shaft being' mounted to slide in the roller and turn therewith, a winding mechanism for tbe roller, with which the shaft has clutch connectiomand an indicatorl rotated by the movement oi" the shaft.

9. In a camera, a curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains formingr an exposureopeningr, and eXteriorly-operated means for regulating the size of the exposure-opening, which means comprise a shaft mounted to slide in one of the curtain-rollers and turn therewith, a winding mechanism for the cu rtain-rollers, a clutch at one end of the shaft, arranged for 'engagement with the winding' mechanism, a pinion at the opposite end of .the shaft, a toothed indicator-wheel exteriorly mounted on the shutter-frameand meshing with the said pinion, and provided with a scale indicating distances, and stopdevices for the' indicator-wheel, limiting' its movement, Substantially as described.

10. yln a camera, a curtain-shutter havinga plurality ot' curtains forming an exposureopening, upper and lower sets of rollers for the curtains, a train of gearing connecting,` the upper eet 01"' curtain-rollers, the lower set being tension-controlled, a locking device connected with one end ofthe shaft of one of the tension-rollers, and an indicator at the exterior of the shuttcnframe, operated by the said shaft, for the purpose set forth.

ll. In cameras, a ouNain-shutterhaving` a plurality of curtains forming an exposureopening between, adjacent ends, an upper set of plain rollers `located one above the'other, and a 'lowerset of tension-controlled rollers also located one above the other, one curtain being connected with the outer .rollers of the two sets and the other curtain with the inner rollers of the sets, all of the rollers having the same diameter with the exception of the lower roller of the upper set which is of increased `imeter, a winding mechanism for the upper rs, a releasing device for the winding echanism, and a device for indicating` the u ot' the exposure-opening' in the shutter, operated by the said Winding;- mechanism, substantially as described. y

l2. In cameras, curtain-shutter having a plurality of curtains forming an exposureopening between adjacent ends, an upper set of near-controlled rollers connected with one' l l. l

upper set which is oil increased diain'ethe shalt beinfbin mounted to slide in the roller and turn therewith, a winding mechanism for the roller, with which the shaft has clutch connection, and an indicator rotated by the movement of the shaft, substantiallyas described.

13. In cameras, a curtain-shutter having a plurality opening; between adjacent ends, an upper sot of near-controlled rollers connected with one ofthe ends of the curtains, arranged one above the other, a lower set oi tension-controlled rollers also arranged one above the other, all oli' the rollers beine` of the same diameter with the exception of the lower roller ol the upper set which is of increased diameter, exterior-lyoperated means, substantially as described, for regulating' 'the size of the exposure-opening` in the shutter, which means comprise a shaft for a roller of'tlie upper set, the shaft being mounted to slide in the roller and to turn therewith, a roller, with which the shaft has clutch connection andan indicator rotated. by the move-- ment of the shaft, a shaft for one of the tension-controlled rollers, operated from the exterior of the shutter-frame, a stop for the said shaft, a dial adapted to indicate the amount ot' tension on the roller to which the shaft belongawhich dial is mounted at the exterior ot the shutter-frame,and means, substantially as described, for operating the said dial from the said shaft of the tension-controlled roller, p

for the purposes specified.

le. In a camera-shutter, a frame for the shutter, sisting of a sleeve mounted on the `frame, being in communication with the interior thereof, a plunger mounted to slide in the said sleeve, a trip device carried by the plunger, and a cap removably covering the said sleeve, the said cap having an apertured projection to receive the tube of a pneumatic apparatus, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony 'Wliereol l have signed my naine to this speciiication in the presence 0l' two subscribing witnesses.

Wljllriiil li. FOLMER. 1,'Vitnesses JNO. M. RITTER, J. Flinn. ric-nun.

oi curtains forming an exposure- Winding` mechanism for the' a releasing' device for the shu ttor, con- IOC).

lTIO 

